[Pete S.]

How does mainstream Japanese culture view homosexuals?

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Name : Pete S., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 21, City : Boulder, State : CO, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[MH22278]

I’m not an expert on Japanese conventions, but I would also be curious to hear if the Kabuki Onnagata, or female impersonator, has changed attitudes toward gay men – even though the Onnagata are not necessarily gay. I’m also curious about the role of Onnabe, or male impersonators hired by other women to be their dates, in the culture.

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Name : MH22278, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 30, City : Boston, State : MA, Country : United States, Occupation : Corporate manager, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Ghost]

I know quite a bit about Japanese culture, especially their views on homosexuality. While generally accepted, it is not uncommon for them to marry anyway, to prevent shame coming to their families. Also, back in ancient feudal times, it was more desirable for a samurai to take another man as a lover so as not to be distracted too much from his duty to his country. So it is accepted in some ways, but there is less activism and such there because of the culture.

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Name : Ghost, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : New Age/Metaphysical, Age : 20, City : Ypsilanti, State : MI, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower class, 

[Treyfe]

While I can’t speak to ‘mainstream views,’ it might interest you to know that male-on-male erotica (of a soft core, Red Shoe Diaries sort) marketed specifically for women is a huge industry in Japan. There are also romance comics for girls about gay men, and plenty of gay (and simply androgynous) characters in popular cartoons. A Japanese soap opera I’ve seen recently called Kinpachi Sensei takes place in a middle school. One of the students is a flamboyantly gay male who hangs out with the girls and doesn’t seem to suffer much persecution. Another student, a girl, was rumored to be a lesbian in one episode and stopped attending school to avoid bullying. I can’t say if this indicates that gay men in Japan are better tolerated than women (the boy on the show might just have been gutsier,) but if so it would be an interesting inversion of American attitudes.

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Name : Treyfe, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Atheist, City : San Francisco, State : CA, Country : United States, 

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